A Laptop Orchestra and a Crime

Earlier this evening I went to a show/get-together at a place known colloloquially as the Tenderloft. It's the top floor of a building in the Tenderloin, which is a neighborhood that has a lot of, among other things, crack. When I was waiting at the door to be let in by my friend, a guy hit me up for 50 cents. I was on my phone, telling my friend I had arrived, and tried to curtly tell the guy I didn't have change. He wouldn't give up: "Shit man, fifty cents! I need a beer. Fifty cents ain't shit... here, I'll give you fifty cents. (Digs around in his pockets) Here man, take it. I know you got fifty cents." But I digress. It's a sketchy hood, that's all. Oh, and for some reason there was a charter bus stopped in the street in front of the place filled with mostly girls dressed in tight clothes, grinding on each other. In the middle of downtown San Francisco. Is it Spring Break yet?

Inside were laptop performers of music and visuals. One of the earlier groups was just straight-up noise, which I was not so into. But the Highlight was the last group (that I saw, at least), which consisted of (I think) 8 guys with a laptop a piece, plus a couple of drum machines. They were all sync'ed to the same beat, just mixing in different bits of sound and music, sometimes taking turns, sometimes doing some really wacked-out fast stuff. It was too much aural fun. Meanwhile in the background some guy was running some video mixing. My favorite part of that was an image of some superman-like illustration flying across weird video feedbackscapes. He would fly in from one direction. Then fly in from a completely different direction. How'd he get to the other side so fast? So, the show was fun. Afterwards, when we got to the car we noticed that the passenger-side window had been completely smashed. The stereo (read: cheap tape player) was untouched, but alas the change in the ashtray was stolen! Did I mention there's a lot of crack in the Tenderloin?

Confluence

Back in 12th grade I was supposed to read Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. I think I read about a third of it. But, I'm reading it for real this time. I like it so far. I find myself among the millions of people who find a way to identify with Raskolnikov (the book's main character; If you haven't read the book, you can skip this, whatevs). For one, he thinks too much. But more specifically, he brings up these philosophical points, repeatedly, regarding decision, and thought versus action. Boy, this is going to get vague really quick. Listening to Cap'n Jazz while I write isn't helping. Anyway. And, I'm too lazy too pull out the book and look for quotes. What am I trying to say? Well, no... screw this.

Next paragraph! The way that characters in the book seem to sustain themselves on tea and black bread and soup really brings out the ascetic in me. The idea of being really hungry, and some shitty bread and second-brew tea giving you that blood sugar rush to the head that lets you know you'll feel much better soon: I like that. It's in stark contrast to this lifestyle I am in/need-to-get-out-of... too much disposable income, spent on coffee here, a cookie there, eating out for lunch repeatedly, all the while dwelling in the post-undergrad debt hole. What little willpower! The death of defiance. Acquiescence. The onset of adult-loss-of-mind (nod to Samuel). How weird. I don't think Dostoevsky intended that part that I take from the book. But I also really like the whole thought versus action and decision stuff. You know.

Beck's coming out with a new album next month, "Guero". So, of course I downloaded some songs off ye olde file-sharing network (hey I'll probably buy it! I own all of his other albums..). They're pretty good, very Odelay. Here's what I can't settle in my head: his Scientology connection/belief/what-have-you. It weirds me out. Maybe I've been reading too much Operation Clambake, but I listen to his newer songs now and I picture him as a brainwashed man with good style. That made no sense. I don't like thinking that buying his album will promote the spread of a wacko cult.

This entry is worthless. And it's not even about San Francisco! I'm going to see Amon Tobin at Bimbo's in a week. In San Francisco. There.

Le Weekend

So, here's a picture inside the Civic Center BART station, taken Friday night. Check out my Flickr account for some pictures of Golden Gate Park as well.

I went to a huge house party last night, but I didn't take my camera. You can't document everything. But to sum it up, the house was like 4 stories tall (maybe 3... it kind of reminded me of New Guild in it's size, but a much nicer place [no offense to any Guilders out there]). I got there and there were 20 people, maybe 30. Went upstairs with some friends to one of the rooms for about 30 minutes, came back downstairs, and there were well over a hundred people (I think, who knows when you get drunk; it was huge). There was a rectangular hole in the wall between two rooms that served as a rather debaucherous kissing booth for whoever wanted to get involved. There was a nice backyard. A balcony. Around 3am some guy was sitting on top of the walk/don't walk signal on the corner, playing harmonica. Those are just some of the highlights. Oh, and dancing. I danced for way too long. The dj ranged from indie punk to prince to too $hort to something else.

This morning (ok, it was afternoon by then) I climbed Bernal Hill. It's awesome, you should do it. I almost fell too. Don't try walking down a steep, rocky path after it just finished drizzling, wearing Onitsuka Tigers. You'll bust your shit up.

Joanna Newsom

At first I thought she sounded like a little kid with problems, but Joanna Newsom is definitely growing on me. I say this because my friend Tony (see previous post) likes her a lot and was talking about her, and now this morning they're playing her in the campus cafe. Do do do do do do do do (twilight zone theme song).

Real Live Tigers at Brainwash

Last night my friend Tony played a show at a laundromat/cafe called Brainwash. He plays under the name Real Live Tigers. I have to say it was a pretty small turnout at the show, and he didn't have a mic to sing through, but other than that it was great. Tony's been touring the nation for about a month now, I think. Anyway, here are some pictures from the show, including one with Tony's bodyguard sitting near the stage, and texting Tony's other bodyguard (who was by the door) about a suspicious-looking pirate in the back of the room. He was in tents.

Before the show, Tony and I went to a bar called... Hole in the Wall! Yeah, they have one in San Francisco, just like in Austin. Except, the one here is a gay pirate bar. I mean that in the most literal sense. In one direction you've got a guy running around in leather asspants and a purple silk shirt, and in the other there are two guys yelling "arrrggghh!!!" at each other. It reminded me of the old dollar beers on hip-hop wednesdays in Austin. Memories...

On the Bus and at Home

I went a little nuts with iMovie last night and created a little San Francisco montage, set to some old breakbeat music by DJ Laz. The result is pretty fun. All the clips and pictures were taken by me, at home, or on the bus (or at the bus stop). It's a pretty large file (about 18 MB), but if you have a pretty fast connection then that's not so bad. Check it out: click here.

Morning Bathroom

Here's a nice picture of my bathroom, in the morning. The plastic shower curtain (my dear old Austin shower curtain) by the window bathes the room in an orange hue for half the day. Stunning.

Bernal Hill, out my window

This is a picture of Bernal Hill, taken from inside my bedroom this morning. It looks really nice around sunrise. You can click the picture to go to Flickr, and if you poke around you can find larger-size versions of the images I post.

Camera/Surgery/Separation Anxiety

This is a picture of the San Francisco skyline, taken from the roof of my apartment. I took it with my new camera, which came in the mail yesterday! I'm still learning how to use it, but this isn't bad for a first try.

On another note, today Magill is getting spayed. I dropped her off at the vet this morning, tired from carrying her in a Pet Taxi for 12 or so blocks, and ready to hand her over to the doctor. But right after I did and walked out, I felt a loss-pang. I get to call the vet this evening to see how everything went, but I don't get to pick her up until tomorrow evening.

Ok, so, more pictures coming soon!